


Wrap Day

by thalialunacy



Category: Star Trek RPF
Genre: M/M, Romantic Comedy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-11-21
Updated: 2010-11-21
Packaged: 2017-10-26 16:35:13
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,425
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/285482
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thalialunacy/pseuds/thalialunacy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The one where Chris is down the rabbit hole.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Wrap Day

**Author's Note:**

> **Summary** : When filming, Chris is oblivious to romance. He has said so himself.  
>  **Disclaimer** : Obviously fictional content is FICTIONAL. Please, _please_ don't sue me. Also, don't be hatin, we just like the fuckin.  
>  **Notes** : Prompted-ish by blue_jack around Chris Pine's birthday. Yes, in August. I'M SLOW, OK. XB Oh and I stole one joke from _Sports Night_.

"Oi, Pine." Karl ends the silence that has been between them as they lay around studying the latest script version in preparation for the start of the third week of filming. Chris's apartment is homier than Karl's, with its IKEA furniture and mountains of books. Karl always ends up sprawled out on the couch, Chris on the floor.

"Yeah?"

"Have you ever… kissed a bloke?"

Chris snorts but doesn't look up from his script. "What is this, some Kiwi Katy Perry song?"

Karl chuckles. "Not what I was going for, but all right."

"Yeah, I did, back at Berkeley." Chris finally looks up from the page. "Why, do you think Kirk might have a secret shirt-lifting side?"

Karl eyes him for a moment, then shrugs. "I dunno."

Chris's forehead wrinkles. "I'll think about it."

"'kay."

\---

Two weeks later they're hunched over a quick lunch, disposable napkins tucked carefully over and into every costume bit that could possibly be involved in a Food Incident. "I have, you know," Karl just says out of nowhere, having just finished chewing a bite of Philly cheese steak.

Chris frowns at his notebook. "Have what?"

"Kissed a bloke."

Chris's gaze does meet his, then, but just for a moment. He's smirking a little. "Well, yeah, everybody who saw the tour pics from _Rings_ knows that."

Karl's eyes drop to his food, which he suddenly seems very interested in. Chris studies him for a moment. "Did Nat know?"

Karl looks at him, surprised. "Of course she did."

Chris pauses, bemused, then shrugs. "Thought so." Then he goes back to his notebook.

"Does," Karl mutters, but Chris doesn't hear.

Zach hears, though.

\---

Wrap party is full of exhausted, triumphant actors and exhausted, annoyed techs who are trying not to be too obviously relieved that photography is over and they can get on with the real work of making the movie. Chris is in a corner with a beer and a half-dozen chattering people, looking for all the world like he's in shock, and Zach takes pity on him.

"Hey, Alice, come with me," he says into Chris's ear while dragging him by the (overly built) bicep to an empty table in the corner. He positions them shoulder to shoulder and guides Chris's gaze around the room. "These people are your friends, you know."

"I know, of course I know, what the f--"

"No, I mean, these people _have been_ your friends."

Chris shakes his head. "I have no fucking idea what you're trying to accomplish, here."

Zach tilts his chin. "Jessica the gaffer? She's the reason you had coffee every day since filming started."

"She's what?"

"Judy in wardrobe, she made you smell like roses, often literally, when the rest of us just smelled like polyester. Celia in catering always had that shitty cheese you like."

"Nothing wrong with provolone."

"Don’t get me started on your relationship with provolone." Zach keeps pointing out people, and stupid little stuff that Chris never ever would've noticed during filming, and Chris's face just gets redder. "--and Martin, the assistant assistant assistant director? He's the reason your mother knew you were alive."

Chris blinks. "That's… something that hadn't even occurred to me."

"Clearly."

"I'm a douche."

"Yes, well, we all love you regardless." He then looks at Chris meaningfully. "Some more than others."

Chris's brow wrinkles. "I know you're not coming onto me, so who are you trying to--" His eyes widen. "Leticia, right? I _knew_ she had a thing for me because she kept--"

But Zach has grabbed his chin, grabbed his cheeks like a little boy, and pointed his face towards where Karl is near the door to the back hallway with one of the best boys, who Chris thinks is named Reggie but isn't sure, chatting animatedly about something--something involving swords, Chris deduces from the gestures with a grin. "Karl and his fucking swords, he's such a gee--"

Suddenly, his gaze swings to Zach, stunned. "Karl."

Zach nods. "Karl."

"I'm assuming you mean Karl, at least, because that Reggie guy has said three words to me and they were all about tits, so-- I mean, there is such a thing as overcompensating but--"

Zach has a grip on Chris's chin again. "Alice." Chris's mouth snaps shut. "Get your head out of your ass, and get the fuck up out the rabbit hole."

Chris's face is lined with worry. "But--"

Zach's hand drops from his face, and he puts an arm around Chris. "It's been a while, I know, honey. And that's okay. I'm not telling you to go up to him and offer him a fine rim job." Chris snorts. "Just… give him a chance, okay?"

"I don't even know what that--"

"He's a good guy, he's a superstar, he's _gorgeous_ , he has a consenting wife, and he's been panting after you for months. Years, probably, but I didn't really notice until recently."

Chris's eyes search Zach's face. "Really? You're not just fucking with me?"

Zach puts a hand over his heart. "As much as I would love to say I am merely trying to wreak havoc for the good of morale like I have done so many times before, in this case, I am not joking. I have nothing but your best interests at heart." He lifts Chris's beer from his hand and sets it onto the table, then gives him a little shove. "Now go forth! For the love of _God_!"

And Chris, after looking once more at Zach, squares his shoulders and does. He walks over to Karl and Reggie, trying to think of a good opener. That doesn't involve sword metaphors.

Then he sees how Karl's face lights up when he sees Chris's approach, and abruptly feels reality hit him in the gut. In the head. In the groin.

"Hey, mate," Karl says, clapping a hand on Chris's shoulder and tugging him into a one-armed embrace, facing the best boy. "I was just regaling Reggie here with some stories about _Rings_." He laughs at himself good naturedly. "He's a good lad for putting up with it, isn't he?"

Chris swallows. Okay, that's as good of a segue as any. He can do this. "Yeah, he is. Listen. About _Rings_ \--" But the words dry up then, as he stares at Karl's open, amazing face.

Karl's expression doesn't waver. He just looks at Chris like he always does, and Chris doesn't know how he fucking missed it. "Yeah?"

Chris shakes his head. "Oh, fuck it."

"What? Chris, are you all--"

The words are cut off by Chris's kiss.

Karl freezes for the first moment and Chris's gut recoils-- then Karl's hand is on the back of his neck, holding him there, and his mouth is opening for Chris's tongue-- There's hooting, and he thinks maybe the bartender is ringing the bell but he can't be sure, that might just be in his head--

Then there's a clunk and a whoosh and Chris feels fine flakes of something falling onto his head, onto his clothes, drenching them both in-- He pulls back.

In glitter.

He looks up to see the rigged--and now overturned--bucket above the doorway. "Mother _fucker_!" he exclaims hoarsely, leaning into Karl for a second before turning to the hipster instigator. "Quinto, you fucking bastard!" He grabs Zach and twists him into a head lock. "You said you had my best interests at heart, you fucking fairy!"

"I did," Zach manages between laughs and snatched breaths. "And mine. And everyone else's here."

Karl takes the opportunity to give Zach a nice noogie, then shrugs at Chris with a smile so sexy it's nearly indecent. "He has a point, there, mate. I know I owe him one now, for certain."

Then he fucking _winks_.

Zach starts to laugh so hard he almost chokes and Chris lets him go. They stand there in the pile of glitter, the three of them, clutching and laughing at each other, and it's absurd and amazing-- and Chris has never been so glad he made it out of the rabbit hole.

Finally, he catches his breath. He looks at Karl, feels his heart kick, and grins. Their hands have somehow ended up very near each other, and Chris may or may not link their pinkies surreptitiously. "Well, thanks, I guess. Even though you _did_ say you weren't trying to wreak havoc."

"Please, bitch," Zach replies blithely. "I lied."

Then he picks up a handful of glitter and throws it at them, and Karl's chuckle echoes in Chris's ears.

"Happy wrap day, homos!"

 **  
_FIN_   
**


End file.
